The Lusk Report: August 1, 2022

Monday, August 1, 2022

Dear friend,

Fairfax County Transportation needs your help to decide which elements of "community charm" should be included in the design of each Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) station!

As a reminder, the BRT is a high-quality public transportation system designed to be fast, reliable, and more convenient than traditional richmond Highway mapbus routes. It operates much like rail service, with a dedicated transitway, but uses bus vehicles.

The "Community Charm" initiative is focused on integrating artwork into each BRT station to reflect the history, identity, and character of the neighborhoods surrounding each station area.

They will be working with students from local schools to design artwork for the windscreen area (shown in blue with a black boundary on the graphic above), based on themes developed with the community.

You can learn more and share your feedback in two ways:

1. Complete a survey through August 14:

English: surveymonkey.com/r/RHBRT12

Spanish: surveymonkey.com/r/RHBRT12es

2. Stop by an upcoming "mini-meeting":

It will be held on Wednesday, August 3 (8a-12p)

Address: 2501 Sherwood Hall Ln

Please contact my office if we can assist you:

Email: leedist@fairfaxcounty.gov (My team is working on an updated email)

Phone 703-971-6262

-Rodney

Table of Contents

Major Blue & Yellow Line Construction
SSPA Update
Support the Collect for Kids School Drive
Tax-Free Weekend
Be Wise, Immunize!
Apply for Free and Reduced Meals
Be Kind to Your Trees
COVID-19 Resources

Major Blue and Yellow Line Construction

Beginning Saturday, Sept. 10, 2022, Major Blue and Yellow Line construction will begin rehabilitating the Yellow Line tunnel and bridge between Pentagon and L’Enfant Plaza stations and connecting the new Potomac Yard Station to the mainline rail system.

During the Potomac Yard prep work, six Blue and Yellow line stations south of Reagan National Airport will close from Sept. 10 - Oct. 22, 2022.

To learn more visit: wmata.com/majorconstruction.

Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) Update

On July 19, the Board of Supervisors approved changes to the Site-Specific Plan Amendment (SSPA) process, which allows anyone to propose site-specific land use changes in Fairfax County.

The adopted changes include new submission criteria, a Planning Commission workshop during the screening phase and enhanced community engagement. The revised SSPA process will be implemented in the next cycle, which kicks off this October. The submission form, process guide, and other resources will be posted to the website in August.

Latest details and report amendments: SSPA website

Support the Collect for Kids School Drive

To ensure that every child in the school district is prepared for school, Fairfax County Public Schools and Educate Fairfax are once again leading the Collect for Kids effort, a consortium of not-for-profit, for-profit, and government entities providing school supplies to benefit FCPS students who otherwise might go without them.

More than 56,000 (31%) FCPS students qualify for free or reduced-price meals and struggle to afford basic necessities. Your donation will help provide the school supplies these students need to be successful at school.

Contributions can be made online through Educate Fairfax.

Be Wise, Immunize!

Immunizations are required for public school entry and help keep students protected from serious diseases. Many children missed their well check-ups and their recommended childhood immunizations over recent years because of disruptions from COVID-19. It is critical to catch up now to keep children healthy and ready for school.

Visit the Fairfax County Health Department website for a schedule of clinics or schedule with your family’s health care provider.

Remember to request documentation of your child’s immunizations to provide to their school. More information on immunization requirements and the necessary documentation is available online.

Apply Now for Free and Reduced-Price Meals

For the past two years, the federal government has provided no-cost meals to all public school students without the need to complete the annual Free and Reduced-Price Meal application.

The extension of the no-cost meals benefit to all students expired at the end of the 2021-22 school year, meaning families must submit an application and be approved to be eligible for free and reduced-price meals for the 2022-23 school year.

The application for the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program is now available online.

Tax Free Weekend!

August 5-7th, 2022 will be a three-day sales tax holiday in the state of Virginia. Eligible items include: school supplies, clothing, footwear, hurricane and emergency preparedness products, Energy Star and Water sense products.

For more information: Virginia’s Sales Tax Holiday webpage.

Be Kind to Your Trees

In hot weather, we all compete for the parking spaces under trees as we prefer the shade. Yet, what we may not realize is that tree-lined neighborhoods are cooler not just because of the shade but because the trees themselves act as air conditioners.

When a tree sucks up water through its roots and releases it as a gas through its leaves, a process known as transpiration occurs. The energy that causes the water to evaporate is absorbed from the surroundings in the form of heat, and the result is a lower air temperature.

Due to the outcome from transpiration, it's imperative we increase the amount of water we give to trees in the summer to ensure they remain hydrated (be cautious in order to prevent overwatering).

For more information: Tree care | Plant NOVA Trees

Franconia District Nights

The Franconia District summer nights concert series continues! Above is the full list of performers with their respective dates. I hope to see you there!

More information: https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/performances/lee-district-nights